Rift-sawing machine



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sneem 2. 0. S. HOLT.

RIFT SAWING MACHINE. v No. 331,135. Patented Nov. 24, 1885.

Mil/E 0/? Z Afiorney N. PETERS, Photo-Lithographer, Washington, D. c.

llNiTnn STATES PATENT @rricn.

ORRINS. HOLT, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

RlFT-SAWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,135, dated November 24, 1885,

Application filed July 13, 1885. Serial No. 171,557.

To aZZ whom it 11mg concern:

Be it known that I, ORRIN S. HOLT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, county of Rock Island, State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefulv Machine for Rift-Sawing, Quarter-Sawing, or Grain-Sawing Lumber, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of the improved rift-sawing machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of certain parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by letter, A designates the carriage, composed of the head-blocks A and the blocks A depending therefrom, and having bearings made in them for the axles B. The wheels B may either be provided with interior flanges to keep them on the rail 6, as shown in the drawings, or one wheel may have a plain tread, and

the other a V-shaped peripheral groove turning over a correspondinglyshaped rail. There may be two headblocks or more, according to the length of the carriage. Each head-block has secured to it or is composed of two par allel sills, a a, having secured firmly to their inner surfaces the two similar parallel rails, C O, inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees,

and forming ways for the setting mechanism.

O is a horizontal shaft having bearing in the ways 0, and carrying upon'it at proper intervals the pinion's c c. The shaft 0 is actuated by a properly-constructed lever or equivalent device.

D D are horizontal shafts having bearings in the rails G, and actuated by levers or equivalent mechanism. When the shafts C D D are rocked by levers, the latter should be near each other, so as to be readily moved by the same person.

E E are bed-pieces of roughly triangular outline, each of which has a horizontal flanged upper edge, e, and aflanged side edge, e, inclined at an angle of forty-live degrees, and having its fiangeengaged between the grooves 6 near the adjacent inclined upper edges of (No moduli the ways C, so as to travel thereon without the upper edge of the pieces E losing its horizontal direction as it rises. Each of the pieces E has a rack, F, on its lower left-hand edge, and a ratchet-bar, F, on each side, both inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees. The teeth of the ratchet on the different sides are spaced differently. I I

The racks are arranged to mesh with the pinions c on the shaft 0, each pinion engaging the two racks on adjacent pieces E, and the ratchetbars are arranged to be engaged by the pawls d, pivoted on the stationary part of the head-block. The pawls are disengaged by eccentrics-on the shafts D D. Each ratchetbar is rendered longitudinally adjustable by means of the slots f, set-screws f, acting therethrough, and the adj usting-screw f acting through a fiange,f on the piece E, and entering a properly-threaded opening in the upper end of the ratchet-bar.

G is a long holding-piece having its face vertical, widened at its lower edge, and provided therein with a T-shaped groove, 9, to ride upon the flanged upper edge, e, ofthe bed-piece E, as shown. The piece G is rendered adjustable on the bed-piece'by means of the screw 9, which passes through a proper bearing in the outer end of the bed-piece,and' enters a properlythreaded opening in the piece G.

H and H are circular saws, the former standing vertically and the latter horizontally. These saws are respectively secured to the shafts I and I, which, as the saws are at right angles to each other, must also be so. Each shaft is capable of both longitudinal and lateral adjustment, and as each is so adjusted by similar means the description of the adj usting mechanism of one shaft only is necessary, only premising that the lateral adjustment of the shaft I is vertical, while that of the shaft 1 is horizontal.

J J are bearingblocks, in which the shaft I turns. These blocks move, in the direction of the shafts lateral adjustment, upon ways or I guides on proper supports, jj, forming part of or secured to the main frame of the mechanism. The blocks are connected together by the rods j, so that they must move equally and keep the shaft always truly aligned. The

blocks J may be secured at any desired adj ustment by means of the slots j and set-screws f, as shown.

K is a block having a bearing in which the collar 75, secured to the shaft I, turns. The block K slides in the direction of the axis of the shaft on guides on a support, it, forming part of or secured to the frame of the mechanism.

J is an adj usting-screw, which passes through a proper bearing in the main frame without travelingin said bearing,and through athreaded opening in the block K to the side of the shaft. Thus the shaft can be adjusted longitudinally in either direction. The two sets of ratchet-bars each differ from the other in the spacing of their teeth; but this spacing is the same in the numbers of each set. One set is actuated by the eccentrics Y on the shaft D, and the other by the eccentric Y on the shaft D, as shown.

Z is a supporting-block for the end of the vertical shaft 1.

The mode of operating the invention is as follows: The shafts are so adjusted that the edge of the saw H will be a distance below the plane of the saw. H equal to the desired thickness of the plank to be cut added to one-half the kerf of the saw. The kerf of the saw H willenter that of the, saw H without more or less passing beyond it. The pieces G are then so adjusted on the bed-pieces that lines drawn from the points x, where their faces meet, to the line of intersection of the planes ofthe saws will bisect the angle formed by said planes, the said lines being inclined at angles of forty-five degrees from the perpendicular in this case. At the first out the saw H is made to enter the quarter log X, while the saw H just touches the same. At the second cut a strip V-shaped in section is cut out and with a right-angled corner, and the saw H makes the edge kerf below said strip for the next cut of the saw H. It is therefore evident that as the quarter log is set up by means of the rack-bars F and pinions c the saw H will always make the edge kerf for the succeeding cut of the saw H, and as the kerf of the latter saw enters that of the former two boards of equal thickness will be separated at each joint cut of the saws. The log is set up equally after each cut, the feed being the same vertically as horizontally as it moves at an angle of forty-five degrees. The real distance of setting equals the hypotenuse of a right-angle triangle, of which each of the legs equals the thickness of the boards cut to be added to the kerf of the saw.

Some of the advantages of theinvention are as follows: It cuts the boards nearly at right angles to the grain. Saws of less diameter, and consequently thinner, can be used in the usual manner, and less lumber is lost by taper inthe outside, as the log is not slabbed. By means of the lateral and longitudinal adj ustment of the shafts I I the saws may be set to out boards of different thickness, and the wear of either saw can be compensated in an easilyunderstood manner.

If desired, the saw H may be made to project beyond the plane of the saw H; but the described construction is preferable.

The

ratchet-bars being adjustable renders it posother, and one sawso situated on its shaft as to enter, when at work, the kerf made bythe other saw a suitable distance to the inner side of the periphery of the same,with a. frame provided with a bed to hold the timber to be sawed and traveling on inclined ways secured to the carriage in a line forming angles of forty-five degrees with the planes in which the saws lie, substantially as specified.

2. In a rift-sawing machine, the combina tion of the saws H H, turning, respectively,

with the shafts I I at right angles to each other, and each rendered laterally and longitudinally adjustable by means substantially as described, with the frame composed of the bed-pieces E and holding-piece G, and travel ing on inclined ways secured to the carriage on a line making angles of forty-five degrees with the planes in which the saws lie, substantially as specified. I.

3. In a rift-sawing machine, the combina tion of the saws H H, turning in planes at right angles to each other with the respective shafts I I, each of which is rendered laterally adjustable by means of supports j and bears ing-blocks J, provided with the slots 7' and set-screwsj and rendered longitudinallyad.

posed of the bed-pieces E and holding-piece G, and traveling on inclined ways secured to the carriage in a line making angles of forty-.

five degrees with the planes in which the saws lie, substantially as specified.

4. In a rift-sawing machine, the combina tion of the saws H *H, turning in planes at right angles to each other, the former proe jecting beyond the latter, and the latter arranged to enter the kerf made by the former,

with the carriage A, provided'with transverse caused to travel and hold at any desired position on the rails O, substantially as specified.

5. In a rift-sawing machine, the combination of the saws H H, turning in planes at right angles to each other, with the carriage having the rail provided With inclined ways secured thereto, the setting mechanism traveling on said rails and composed of the parts G and E, the inclined racks F on the parts E, the shaft 0, and the pinions c c, engaging the rack-bar, and thereby moving the feed mechanism, substantially as specified.

6. In a rift-sawing machine, the combination of the saws H H, turning in planes at right angles to each other, with the carriage 

